Carroll says Flynn must earn Seahawks' starting QB job

RENTON, Wash. -- When Matt Flynn came to visit the Seattle Seahawks, he wowed the staff with his personality and ability to understand offensive systems.

That still wasn't enough to completely satisfy the Seahawks considering how little playing time Flynn got backing up Aaron Rodgers while with the Green Bay Packers. So Pete Carroll and crew handed Flynn some workout gear, took him into their indoor facility and put him through a lighthearted throwing session to make sure that what they saw on tape looked just as good in person.

"I was totally up for it and we had fun out there. It was real laid-back," Flynn said. "It wasn't a pressure cooker or anything like that. They kind of just wanted to see me in action I guess."

What the Seahawks saw was impressive enough for them to offer up a three-year deal for Flynn that was more appealing than other opportunities for one of the hottest free agents. That's even though Flynn was completely aware when he agreed to come to the Pacific Northwest that he was entering an open competition with incumbent Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job.

Flynn agreed to his deal with the Seahawks on Sunday. During a conference call on Monday, Flynn said that when he visited late last week, the entire situation felt comfortable and it felt like the team was moving in the right direction.

It was time for the Seahawks to address an issue that's lingered since Carroll and general manager John Schneider arrived before the 2010 season: the Seahawks' long-term future at quarterback. They whiffed on Charlie Whitehurst. The verdict is still out on Jackson after he played behind an inexperienced offensive line early in 2011 then played through a painful pectoral injury for more than half the season.

Maybe Flynn will be the hit -- if he wins the job.

"We now have the opportunity to make this an open competition. Tarvaris is well ahead and he's the guy here working for us now," Carroll said. "I told Tarvaris when I talked with him yesterday that what we're doing with Matt is bringing him in here to compete for the job. And he's going to make everybody better and help our football team."